


Baby Steps

by RedPandasRCool



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:28:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24939070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedPandasRCool/pseuds/RedPandasRCool
Summary: A different perspective of how things should go after "Queen of the Damned" by Yoshiyuki_Ly.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	Baby Steps

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yoshiyuki_Ly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoshiyuki_Ly/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Queen of the Damned](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/638872) by Yoshiyuki_Ly. 



> Alright, so I read Vertigo by Yoshiyuki_Ly and was so into it that I found their other work Queen of the Damned. That's where my problem started. I was being greedy after Vertigo and then found the fic that they didn't really want to finish so at the end I wanted more again. So, here's me writing fanfic about a fanfic. This was mainly for me to get some closure for one of the best if not the best Fleurmione fics I've read (which is saying a lot because I saved that one for last after reading everything else lol). I'm also not a writer, but I had to make an exception this one time. Standard disclaimer that I don't own ANYTHING and you should really read the other two works if you want to understand what's going on.

She was confused for a while. But who wouldn’t be after being told they were in a coma for four years.

Even Fleur had found some things strange though. Everyone that was on the bridge remembers everything, but everyone that was frozen for those fifty years does not remember anything from Hermione’s seventh year on. Even within families there is a divide on who knows and who does not. Bill, Percy, and Charlie Weasley do not remember, but the rest of the Weasley clan does. Draco remembers, but his mother does not. It is so confusing to the whole lot on who they can and cannot talk to about their experiences that they rarely bring it up. 

After their embrace in the garden, Fleur takes Hermione back into the castle. She explains that Hermione suddenly feinted in their seventh year and had not awaken for four years. How Harry and Ginny are on opposing professional Quiditch teams and are recently engaged. How Ron was on the same team as Harry, but quit the team a few months ago to start Auror training. How Fred and George have branched out and have two wizarding mischief stores. That her parents decided to keep her at Hogwarts so that she could get the best care and they visit every week. 

Hermione sits with that information for a bit and her thoughts are so jumbled that she fails to notice Professor McGonagall has entered the infirmary until the moment right before she embraces the young witch. Fleur decides to give the two some privacy and when she comes back about an hour later McGonagall is telling Hermione that she can stay and finish her year and take her N.E.W.T.S. if she decides to. After McGonagall leaves, Hermione stays in that catatonic state for a while until she looks up at her new friend with tears in her eyes.

“This is a lot to take in and I don’t think I’m quite up to it at the moment.” 

She then puts her face in her hands and cries. Fleur hesitantly takes Hermione in her arms and holds her.

“I cannot understand what you are going through, but we are friends now right?” Hermione slowly looks at her and nods. “I am your friend so I will be here for whoever you choose to be.” Fleur’s exclamation startles Hermione and she is unable to respond verbally, but she nods once more and looks off in front of them.

Hermione eventually decides to stay at Hogwarts and finish her N.E.W.T.S., but only after she sees her parents. They visit her the next day and are ecstatic that she is finally awake. Only Hermione notices the other witch in the corner looking over the reunited family. She nods to Hermione and walks back out of the infirmary. Hermione tells her parents of her plans to stay at Hogwarts and finish her education and after some reassurances from her that she really wants this, they say a teary goodbye. 

McGonagall shows Hermione to her room. She will be in her own room in the professor’s hall, seeing as she is too old to be bunking with children. It takes her a week but she has figured out all of her independent studies but one: Defense Against the Dark Arts. Snape tells her that she knows all the spells but needs practice in real world application. 

She needs a dueling partner; unfortunately she is too old and advanced to use one of the seventh years. She decides to ask McGonagall for assistance, but Dumbledore is taking a sabbatical this term so she is the interim Headmistress and will not have the time. Hermione knows who would be best, but she’s afraid of asking and it isn’t until they see each other two weeks later that Fleur realizes something is wrong. Hermione will not look her in the eye and is increasingly frazzled throughout what was supposed to be a casual encounter. After a while the older witch lost her patience.

“What is it?”

Startled, Hermione finally looks up at her.

“I need a dueling partner.” She quickly averts her eyes then, thinking she will be rejected on the spot.

Fleur’s expression softens. 'This is adorable,' she thinks.

“Alright, we can meet once a week.” She can tell by the Hermione’s gaping expression that she was not prepared for a yes. 

“O..Okay then.”

They decide to meet at the lake on Thursdays.

The first of her old classmates to visit, to her surprise, is Draco. Almost two month after she wakes, there he is standing next to Fleur at their usual dueling spot. She’s hesitant to listen to him, but he musters up the courage to look her in the eye and tell her he’s changed. 

“I know that it will never make up for all I have put you through, but I am here to apologize. I am still not perfect, but I do not hold those prejudices that I once held against you or any other muggle-born. It does not matter who a witch or wizard’s parents are. I know now that even muggle-born witches and wizards can become extremely powerful.” 

He nods and then turns to walk away when she does not answer. He suddenly stops walking when he hears his name.

“Draco! I am still hesitant to completely believe what you are saying, but I am willing to move forward. Would you like to stay for our lesson today? You could actually help because I learned about a new spell that requires three different wizards.”

He turns back to them with a hesitant look.

“What did you have in mind?”

“I read that you can use multiple Patronus to communicate with each other without vocalizing messages, the just need to touch while you are thinking the message.”

“Alright Granger.” He then takes out his wand and releases his Patronus, and a majestic peacock springs forward flying in intricate patterns. 

“Expecto Patronum” Hermione’s little otter springs forward and starts prancing around. 

Her otter moves toward the peacock and touches it on the wing. 

“Did you just call me a ferret!?”

Hermione tries to talk while laughing. 

“No! I was saying I thought your patronus was a ferret.”

He just mutters to himself grumpily. Hermione then turns to Fleur and asks her to try with her.

Fleur hesitates for a moment, but then gives in after seeing those eyes that she is incapable of saying no to. She recites the spell softly.

“Expecto Patronum.” A flash of light later and there, another otter starts prancing around. 

Hermione is shocked to say the least, and just stares at Fleur.

Fleur’s otter goes over to Hermione’s and hugs it.

Hermione quickly averts her eyes from Fleur after hearing the message. She looks back up to her and nods.

Fleur chuckles and moves over to be in Hermione’s space and leans down to kiss her on the cheek. They lock eyes as she pulls away. Eventually they get back to the lesson, but that day something shifts between the two.

**Author's Note:**

> This can't be the end? I'm literally asking myself this because I don't think I want it to end. Anywho...thanks for looking at this story if you have. I'm really just writing this for me, but if others are entertained as well that's cool too!


End file.
